Assessing the effectiveness of marine nature‐based solutions with climate risk assessments

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 30(5)

Published: May 1, 2024

Abstract Prospective risks from climate change impacts in ocean and coastal systems are urging the implementation of nature‐based solutions (NBS). These climate‐resilient strategies to maintain biodiversity delivery ecosystem services, contributing adaptation social‐ecological mitigation climate‐related impacts. However, effectiveness measures like marine restoration or conservation is not exempt change, degree which they can sustain services remains unknown. Such uncertainty, together with slow pace implementation, causes decision‐makers societies demand a better understanding NBS effects. To address this gap, study, we use risk capacity as proxy for their while providing toolset method. The method considers environmental data relies on expert elicitation, allowing us go beyond current practice evaluate reducing habitat species under different future socio‐political climate‐change scenarios. As result, present ready‐to‐use tool, supporting materials, Climate Risk Assessment an illustrative example considering application “nature‐inclusive harvesting” two shellfisheries. works rapid assessment that guarantees comparability across sites due its low resource demand, so it be widely incorporated policies realm.

Language: Английский

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Evaluating Habitat Provisioning and Restoration Potential of a Subtropical Seagrass Species in a Temperate Estuary

Estuaries and Coasts, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 48(3)

Published: Feb. 26, 2025

Language: Английский

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Quantifying Seasonal Seagrass Effects on Flow and Sediment Dynamics in a Back‐Barrier Bay

Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 126(2)

Published: Dec. 23, 2020

Abstract Seagrass growth and senescence exert a strong influence on flow structure sediment transport processes in coastal environments. However, most previous studies of seasonal seagrass effects either focused small‐scale field measurements or did not fully resolve the synergistic flow‐wave‐vegetation‐sediment interaction at meadow scale. In this study, we applied coupled Delft3D‐FLOW SWAN model that included flow, waves, resuspension shallow bay to quantify impacts dynamics. The was extensively validated using hydrodynamic suspended data within nearby unvegetated site. Our results show meadows significantly attenuated (60%) waves (20%) reduced concentration (85%) during summer when its density reached maximum. Probability distributions combined wave‐current bed shear stress indicate significant reductions were mainly caused by retardation rather than wave attenuation. Although low‐density winter resulted much smaller compared with meadows, small changes large differences magnitude attenuation stress. Similarly, while high densities effectively trapped summer, net flux into/out meadow. At our study site, low provided wintertime loss losses associated completely conditions.

Language: Английский

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Large-scale erosion driven by intertidal eelgrass loss in an estuarine environment

Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 243, P. 106910 - 106910

Published: July 26, 2020

Seagrasses influence local hydrodynamics by inducing drag on the flow and dampening near-bed velocities wave energy. When seagrasses are lost, currents energy can increase, which enhances bottom shear stresses, destabilizes sediment, promotes suspension erosion. Though being lost rapidly globally, magnitude of change in sediment stabilization following ecosystem-wide eelgrass loss has rarely been measured. In this study, we explored geomorphological changes associated with an unprecedented estuary-wide collapse a seagrass (eelgrass, Zostera marina) Morro Bay, CA, USA. Bay historically suffered from accelerated sedimentation accretion. However, massive since 2010, over 90% locations that previously had experienced Elevation losses (erosion) reached 0.50 m some places (mean 0.10 m) as much 50% decrease (median 13.6%) elevation (i.e., increase depth) compared to pre-decline levels. comparison, mouth estuary, where was largely retained, only 27.7% prior experiencing erosion underwent mean (accretion) 0.32 m. Thus, appears have altered dynamics at seabed transitioned large regions estuary environment deposition accretion one Large-scale may be predictive future shoreline coastal habitat is likely exacerbated increased storm surge sea level rise expected climate change.

Language: Английский

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Naturally-detached fragments of the endangered seagrass Posidonia australis collected by citizen scientists can be used to successfully restore fragmented meadows

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 262, P. 109308 - 109308

Published: Aug. 26, 2021

Language: Английский

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A novel subsurface sediment plate method for quantifying sediment accumulation and erosion in seagrass meadows

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 10

Published: Sept. 22, 2023

Sediment dynamics in seagrass meadows are key determinants of carbon sequestration and storage, surface elevation, resilience recovery from disturbance. However, current methods for measuring sediment accumulation limited. For example, 210 Pb dating, the most popular tool quantifying accretion rates over decadal timescales, relies on assumptions often at odds with meadows. Here, we have developed a novel subsurface plate method to detect changes erosion real time that: 1) is affordable simple implement, 2) can quantify short-term (weeks months) erosion, 3) non-destructive minimizes impacts surface-level processes, 4) long-term (years) net rates. We deployed plates two sites within 20 km 2 meadow Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research site, USA. discuss spatial temporal trends 25-month period, estimated using compared previous estimates based precision method, our recommendations implementing other settings. recommend application this short- sediments across various scales improve understanding disturbance, recovery, restoration, cycling, budgets, response seagrasses rising sea levels.

Language: Английский

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How does ocean acidification affect Zostera marina during a marine heatwave?

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 194, P. 115394 - 115394

Published: Aug. 18, 2023

Language: Английский

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Status, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Services of Seagrass Habitats Within the Coral Triangle in the Western Pacific Ocean

Ocean Science Journal, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 57(2), P. 147 - 173

Published: May 20, 2022

Language: Английский

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Eelgrass meadow response to heat stress. II. Impacts of ocean warming and marine heatwaves measured by novel metrics

Marine Ecology Progress Series, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 736, P. 47 - 62

Published: April 16, 2024

In June 2015, a marine heatwave triggered severe eelgrass Zostera marina die-off event at the Virginia Coast Reserve (USA), followed by slow and spatially heterogeneous recovery. We investigated effects of heat stress on seagrass loss Using hourly summer water temperature measurements from 2016-2020, we developed novel approach to quantifying ocean warming meadows. defined 2 metrics: cumulative (as heating degree-hours, HDHs) relief cooling CDHs), relative 28.6°C ecosystem thermal tolerance threshold previously determined this site aquatic eddy covariance measurements. These metrics were compared spatiotemporal patterns summertime shoot density length. found that healthiest parts meadow benefited greater (2-3×) due tidal (inputs cooler through inlets) during warm periods, resulting in ~65% higher densities center meadow, which experienced (2×) less relief. also calculated amount preceding was ~100-200°C-hours peak growing season. Sulfur isotope analyses leaves sediment suggested sulfide toxicity likely contributed decline. Overall, our incorporate physiological tolerances with duration intensity relief, thus lay groundwork for forecasting vulnerability resilience future oceans.

Language: Английский

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Seagrass ecosystem recovery: Experimental removal and synthesis of disturbance studies

Limnology and Oceanography, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 69(7), P. 1593 - 1605

Published: June 27, 2024

Abstract Net global losses of seagrasses have accelerated efforts to understand recovery from disturbances. Stressors causing disturbances (e.g., storms, heatwaves, boating) vary temporally and spatially within meadows potentially affecting recovery. To test differential recovery, we conducted a removal experiment at sites that differed in thermal stress for temperate seagrass ( Zostera marina ). We also synthesized prior studies assess general patterns. Seagrass shoots were removed 28.3 m 2 plots edge central meadow South Bay, Virginia, USA. hypothesized faster where greater oceanic exchange reduces stress. Contrary our hypothesis was most rapid the matching control site shoot density 24 months. Recovery incomplete estimated require 158 Differences likely due storm‐driven sediment erosion sites. Based on data studies, which primarily monospecific , recover across broad range conditions with positive, nonlinear relationship between disturbance area time. Our indicates position affects susceptibility length Linking this finding literature synthesis suggests increased attention spatial context will contribute better understanding variation rates.

Language: Английский

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